大学体验英语第二册Unit7-Passage B

Love Works a Miracle
"There goes Cruiser again," thought Cindy Dunlop when she heard a splash in the family swimming pool. Cruiser, a springer spaniel, frequently jumped into the pool just for fun. Cindy was in the garage around the corner from the patio¹. She was talking on the phone to a friend who had called to chat. 　

　But suddenly Cindy sensed that something was wrong. The splash she had heard was followed by dead silence. Quickly Cindy said goodbye and hung up the phone. She hurried around the corner and saw-to her horror-her 17-month-old daughter, Kyla, floating face down in the 15×30-foot pool. Cruiser was running back and forth² along the edge of the pool, trying to save the child by grabbing Kyla's clothing with his teeth.　

　Most mothers would have simply jumped into the pool and pulled their child to safety. But Cindy Dunlop was not like most mothers. She was paralyzed from the chest down as a result of an automobile³ crash 12 years before. Because of her disability, Cindy had been forced to adjust to life in a wheelchair. At 90 pounds, Cindy swam regularly for physical therapy but needed assistance getting in and out of the pool.　

　Now, on October 7, 1986, Kyla's life rested in her mother's hands. Cindy didn't have time to phone for help. There wasn't anyone nearby, anyway. The Dunlops lived in the isolated⁴ desert town of EI Mirage⁵, California. Cindy's husband, Ron, had gone off to work several hours earlier. The nearest rescue squad⁶ was 25 miles away. And the nearest neighbor was half a mile down the road. 　

?Knowing she couldn't grab Kyla from the edge of the pool, Cindy had only one choice. She drove her wheelchair straight into the chilly⁷ water. As the chair sank, Cindy began to swim over to Kyla, who was still floating, face down, 25 feet away. When Cindy reached her daughter, she managed to flip⁸ her over. Then she grabbed her and towed her to the edge of the pool. Kyla's eyes were closed and her lips were blue. She wasn't breathing. 　

　Frantic⁹ with fear and panic, Cindy tried to lift Kyla up and out of the water while holding onto the edge of the pool with one arm. "She was so limp and heavy, I couldn't," she later said.　
　Cindy realized she would have to find another way to get Kyla out. She took a deep breath and let herself sink to the bottom of the pool. With her arms under Kyla's body and her fingertips gripping the edge of the pool, Cindy used her head to push the child upward. She managed to lift Kyla out of the water, but couldn't get her over the edge onto the concrete. When she tried, the little girl fell backward into the pool.　

? Desperately¹⁰, Cindy kept trying. Finally, by keeping her head straighter, she was able to roll Kyla up and out of the water. Then, propping¹¹ herself up on her elbows at the edge of the pool, Cindy reached out and turned Kyla toward her. Her daughter still wasn't breathing. With fear gripping her heart, Cindy pinched the child's nose shut and began puffing¹² short breaths into her mouth. 　

?At first, there was no response. Again and again Cindy puffed¹³ breaths into Kyla's mouth. Finally, Kyla's body lurched, and she began to cough and spit up water. Then the little girl started to cry. "It was the greatest thing in the world to hear that scream," Cindy said. 　

?Cindy called 911, and she and Kyla were rushed to a hospital. Cindy's feet, elbows, and hands were badly scraped from crawling across the concrete. Kyla, however, was fine. Before long, she was giggling¹⁴ and playing as if nothing had happened. 　

1 patio   

n.庭院，平台

参考例句：

• Suddenly, the thought of my beautiful patio came to mind. I can be quiet out there,I thought.我又忽然想到家里漂亮的院子，我能够在这里宁静地呆会。
• They had a barbecue on their patio on Sunday.星期天他们在院子里进行烧烤。

2 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

3 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

4 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

5 mirage   

n.海市蜃楼，幻景

参考例句：

• Perhaps we are all just chasing a mirage.也许我们都只是在追逐一个幻想。
• Western liberalism was always a mirage.西方自由主义永远是一座海市蜃楼。

6 squad   

n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组

参考例句：

• The squad leader ordered the men to mark time.班长命令战士们原地踏步。
• A squad is the smallest unit in an army.班是军队的最小构成单位。

7 chilly   

adj.凉快的，寒冷的

参考例句：

• I feel chilly without a coat.我由于没有穿大衣而感到凉飕飕的。
• I grew chilly when the fire went out.炉火熄灭后，寒气逼人。

8 flip   

vt.快速翻动；轻抛；轻拍；n.轻抛；adj.轻浮的

参考例句：

• I had a quick flip through the book and it looked very interesting.我很快翻阅了一下那本书，看来似乎很有趣。
• Let's flip a coin to see who pays the bill.咱们来抛硬币决定谁付钱。

9 frantic   

adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的

参考例句：

• I've had a frantic rush to get my work done.我急急忙忙地赶完工作。
• He made frantic dash for the departing train.他发疯似地冲向正开出的火车。

10 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

11 propping   

支撑

参考例句：

• You can usually find Jack propping up the bar at his local. 你常常可以看见杰克频繁出没于他居住的那家酒店。
• The government was accused of propping up declining industries. 政府被指责支持日益衰败的产业。

12 puffing   

v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧

参考例句：

• He was puffing hard when he jumped on to the bus. 他跳上公共汽车时喘息不已。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• My father sat puffing contentedly on his pipe. 父亲坐着心满意足地抽着烟斗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 puffed   

adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧

参考例句：

• He lit a cigarette and puffed at it furiously. 他点燃了一支香烟，狂吸了几口。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He felt grown-up, puffed up with self-importance. 他觉得长大了，便自以为了不起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 giggling   

v.咯咯地笑( giggle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• We just sat there giggling like naughty schoolchildren. 我们只是坐在那儿像调皮的小学生一样的咯咯地傻笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I can't stand her giggling, she's so silly. 她吃吃地笑，叫我真受不了，那样子傻透了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》